


Day 11: Haunt

by ZephyrOfAllTrades



Series: Spooky Time Stories [11]
Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Animal Death, Fluff, Love Confessions, M/M, and it was peaceful and painless, but due to old age, pet death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-21
Updated: 2020-11-21
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:08:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27655958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZephyrOfAllTrades/pseuds/ZephyrOfAllTrades
Summary: "Hmm, I suppose I do appear to be in need of a companion," he told her. "I have - had - one you know. But I'm afraid we had a little fight a while back by the duck pond there. I suppose he's still mad. It's been forty years and he's still silent. I come here in the hopes I'd catch a glimpse of him.""Meow.""Yes, I shouldn't give up hope. Thank you," he smiled at her again, a little brighter than before.
Relationships: Aziraphale & Crowley (Good Omens), Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens)
Series: Spooky Time Stories [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1983229
Comments: 5
Kudos: 40
Collections: Racket’s 13 Days of Halloween





	Day 11: Haunt

Young One awoke within a hole in a wall, somewhere where she and her siblings lay curled against their mother. She would later claim that little nook for herself and her descendants but for the time being, she reveled in the surrounding warmth from her family.

When she was old enough, Young One ventured past the vines and the thickets and found herself in what her mother called a 'park' where humans passed their time. She hunted the birds there and sometimes from the humans with their baskets of food.

From all her comings and goings, she found there was always one human, or rather someone human-shaped, that sat in the park for far too long during certain days. He always looked so sad. One day she dared herself to stalk nearer. He was dressed very brightly but his face looked dark and brooding. The closer she came, the braver she felt. This Human-Shape will not harm her, she knew.

"Mrowww," she asked them when she was close enough. Human-Shape sniffed and wiped his eyes with his hand before turning to her.

"I'm alright, dear girl," he said. "Please don't mind me." He smiled at her. But she was not convinced. She jumped on the bench and sat primly next to him.

"Hmm, I suppose I do appear to be in need of a companion," he told her. "I have - had - one you know. But I'm afraid we had a little fight a while back by the duck pond there. I suppose he's still mad. It's been forty years and he's still silent. I come here in the hopes I'd catch a glimpse of him."

"Meow."

"Yes, I shouldn't give up hope. Thank you," he smiled at her again, a little brighter than before. They sat together on the bench, until the sun had gone and she needed to come back to her wall. When she returned home, she found a nice plump piece of fish for her dinner and the hole was much warmer.

Young One saw Human-Shape almost every week. She saved his favorite bench for him. There were times when he was gone for months at a time, but she kept her vigil during their appointed time. She came home to good food whether or not they met.

Young One lived her life, taught all her children what she knew and let them roam to find their own fortunes. For her, she always came back to the hole in the wall and every week she would take her spot on the old bench by the duckpond. Until one day she couldn't anymore. The last time she and Human-Shape met, he pet her lovingly, whispering words of comfort and goodbyes with tears in his eyes. But she batted his hands away and she rubbed her head against his cheek. She will not say goodbye. Not until she was certain he would not be left alone again.

That night, she slept soundly, her mind made up to always welcome Human-Shape when he comes. She didn't wake in the morning.

It was a lovely autumn day when Young One slipped out from her wall and passed the beautiful rose trellis set against it. She padded her way down a well-known path and sat at their bench. She could not be seen, even by Human-Shape, but she made sure she was always felt.

Anyone who passed that bench would be calmed but none took to sitting there. She kept the bench unoccupied for the one she waited for. Soon after lunch she espied him. But he had the other being with him - the one in all black clothes.

She had watched both Human-Shape and Other Being come ang go - separately, she noticed - years after she died. She had surmised that Other Being was the 'companion' that left her friend and resolved each time to make him twitch and uncomfortable whenever he sits.

"I don't know why you like this bench, angel," Other Being muttered, eyeing his seat. "First day of the rest of our lives, we could go anywhere we want. Why here?"

"Come now, dear boy," Human-Shape tutted. "This bench holds a special place in my heart." He smiled softly at him, "This was where I would sit after our fight in 1862. Where I would let myself hope that one day I would see you stroll along the path to greet me…"

"Angel…" Other Being looked pained and Young One decided to calm him as well. It looked as if he had regretted going away.

"Please let me finish," Human-Shape took Other Being's hand. "I waited. And there were days when I almost gave up. The Earth held no lustre for me after you've gone. It was here I felt true heartbreak, I loved you far too much that I couldn't make it hurt less."

"Aziraphale," Other Being breathed, clutching the other's hand with both his own.

"It still scares me to think I almost lost you again, permanently at that. I have far too much to apologize for and - "

"Stop. We're fine. We made it. They're scared of us now. You've got me. I've got you. Our own side, remember?" Other Being babbled, moving closer. "And whatever it is you'll be apologizing for, I'll forgive you. That's a fact because…" he took a moment to kiss Human-Shape's hand. "I love you, too. You ought to know that. And no matter what I said, I'll never leave you alone again."

"Mrroww!" Young one yelled and Other Being jumped.

"Oh," Human-Shape blinked. Young One noticed herself taking shape. She jumped in between them flicking her tail haughtily at Other Being and gave Human-Shape a ghostly lick.

"Oh, it was you, sweet girl. I knew there was a presence. But dear, why are you still here?"

She started purring when Other Being spoke, "A cat?" She hissed in warning that had him backing up to the furthest edge of the bench.

"Please don't be mad at him, dear. He's apologized." Young One sighed heavily and accepted Human-Shape's petting. "But I understand. You've been keeping me company the last century. And I am ever so grateful."

From the corner of her eye she saw Other Being's mouth open, she rounded on him and he closed it immediately. She looked him up and down then walked around him. He sat completely still as she climbed his arms, unto his shoulders and head. At last she stopped, satisfied. She gave his nose a quick bump with hers and leaped to do the same to Human-Shape with a final purr.

She saw his tears fall but knew someone else would wipe them away now. With a soft meow, she jumped to the ground before them. She flicked her tail to signal her goodbye, then ran off. Not back to her old hole in the wall. Not anywhere else in the park she had called home. But towards the setting sun, her essence mingling with its warm rays. She let the light hold her, trusting it to take her to where she was meant to be.

"Well, that was a thing," the demon said thickly.

Aziraphale let out a laugh, reaching over to brush Crowley's cheeks dry. "A blessing from a cat. And a ghost cat at that."

"Any other friends you'd like to tell me about? Preferably the ones with bigger vendettas against me?" the demon tried to compose himself. "So's I could prepare my statements beforehand."

"Darling, I was as surprised as you on this one."

The new endearment made them both pause. Crowley reached out to grab the angel's hand once more. "I'd better keep my promise then," he croaked out. "Make sure she doesn't come back to haunt us again."

"Excellent idea, dearest."

**Author's Note:**

> You can also read this on my [Tumblr.](https://zephyrofalltrades.tumblr.com/post/634947883561549824/day-11-haunt)


End file.
